Cimbalom master to join Quincy Symphony Orchestra for Saturday afternoon concert

QUINCY — The Quincy Symphony Orchestra Association, directed by Bruce Briney, will present Adventures and Explorations, a concert that intertwines innovative, contemporary melodies and story-telling classics, at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at Quincy Junior High School.

Acclaimed cimbalom master Alex Udvary joins the orchestra for Kodaly’s “Háry János Suite.” An enthralling swashbuckling tale of a Hungarian folk hero, this piece is celebrated for its evocative storytelling through music.

“Háry János is a peasant, a veteran soldier,” wrote the composer, “who day after day sits in the tavern, spinning yarns about his heroic exploits. That his stories are not true is irrelevant, for they are the fruit of a lively imagination seeking to create, for himself and others, a beautiful dream world.”

Movements include “The Fairy Tale Begins,” “The Viennese Musical Clock,” The Battle and Defeat of Napoleon,” and the “Entrance of the Emperor and his Court.”

The cimbalom, also known as a Hungarian dulcimer, is featured prominently in the “Háry János Suite.” This East-European instrument is a low open-topped box. The strings deployed across the instrument are usually not plucked but played with a set of hand-held beaters. They are arranged in a complex, non-linear layout of pitches, making mastery of the instrument a specialized skill.

Udvary studied piano at the Cleveland Institute of Music and learned the cimbalom from his father. He has performed with dozens of American and European orchestras and hosted a television special about the cimbalom. He is recognized in Budapest as the premier cimbalom player in America, and he is rated with the 10 best in the world. He has more than a dozen recordings to his credit. Udvary will give a brief cimbalom demonstration during the concert.

This concert also includes La Cueva del Milodón, an homage to the Chilean natural monument by Western Illinois University’s John Mindeman. La Cueva del Milodón is a protected wilderness area comprised of caves and rock formations. Mindeman lived in Chile several years ago and was inspired by the depth and beauty of the region.

The Quincy Area Youth Orchestra, under the direction of Richard Cangro, joins the QSO for a side-by-side performance of “Danza del Sol” by Kevin Day. “Danza Del Sol” is an energetic work featuring elements of romantic and Latin music. Day is a composer much in demand by U.S. performing ensembles. He had an “out-of-the-blue” inspiration and composed the work in three days.

This concert continues the QSO’s long-established tradition of featuring the winner of the Martha McCrory Young Artist Competition. In its 70th year, the competition provides outstanding high school musicians the opportunity to perform as concert soloists, accompanied by a symphony orchestra. The 2024-25 winner is Kaylee Blunier, a clarinet student from Nauvoo. She will perform “Carl Maria von Weber’s Concertina in E-flat Major, Op. 26.”

Single tickets are available in advance from HyVee, Sturhahn Jewelers and at QSOA.org. Single ticket prices are $18 for adults and $15 for seniors over age 62. Children 18 and under are admitted free to all concerts and are encouraged to attend.

The concert sponsor is Gardner Denver. Arthur and Lela Lindsay Family are guest artists sponsors. Muddy River News is the media sponsor. All concerts of the 2024-25 QSOA season are sponsored by Quincy Recycle, The Knapheide Manufacturing Company, the Illinois Arts Council Agency, the Tracy Family Foundation, the Marion Gardner Jackson Charitable Trust, Bank of America, N.A., trustee, and the Anonymous Fund of the Community Foundation.

Information is available on the QSOA website, www.qsoa.org, or by calling 217-222-2856.